Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-11
JEFFERSON'S INGENUITY.
Curtous Effects Evolved from the
u.uls, Of the States man.

think it is not generally known
with what pleasure and zeal Jefferson
brought his mind to bear, not only
upon the development OF his some-
what grand ideas in regard to a home,
but upon the most minute and pecul-
lar contrivances for convenience and
adornment. He drew plans and
made estimates for nearly everything
that was built or constructed on his
place. He calculated the number of
bricks to be used in every part of his
building; and his family now pos
sesses elaborately drawn plans of such
bits of household furnishing as "cur-
tain valences" and the like. Many OF
his ideas in regard to building and
furnishing he brought with him from
France but more of them had their
origin in his brain. There were no
bedsteads in his house, but in every
chamber there was an alcove in the
wall, in which a wooden framework
was built which supported the bed.
His own sleeping arrangements during
the lifetime of his wife were
of very peculiar nature;
in the partition, between two cham
bers, was an archway, and in this
archway was the double bed; one
chamber was Mr.. Jefierson's room,
and the other was his wife's dressing
room. When he arose in the morn
ing he got out of bed into his own
room. and Mrs. jefferson got out into
her room. After his wife's death her
room became his study and the par
tition wall between it and the library
being taken down, the whole was
thrown into the p.esent large apart
ment. Over the archway in which
the bed is placed is a long closet reach
ed by a step-hdder placed in an
other closet at the foot of the
he'd. In this we're stored in summer
the winter clothes of the family, and
in winter their summer habiliments.
At the other side Of the arch there is a
small do, or 80 that persons going from
one room to the other had no need to
Chamber over the bed.
In the smaller chamber when it be-
came his STUDY, stood Mr.. Jefferson's
writing chair which was made to
suit his peculiar needs; the chair itself
was high-baGed, well-rounded and
cushioned, and in front Of it ex-
extended a cushioned platform, on
which. Mr.. Jefferson found it
very plealant to stretch his
legs, being sometimes troubled
with swellin,s of the smaller veins OF
these limbs. The writing-table was
SO made tina it could be drawn up
over this Platform, legs and all, and
pushed dow when not in use. The
TOD of this able turned on a pivot; on
one side of t were his writing mate
rails and oil the other was the little
apparatus " which he made copies of
all his letters. By his side was an
other revoving table ON which his
books of eference lay, or were held
open at prper angles. Near him also
stood par of large globes; and. if
he wishedto study anything outside
OF this wdld, he had in his room two
large TELESCOPES mounted on brass tri-
pods, Covenient were his viOlins, ,One
a Cremon and the other bass-viol
saved froI the Shadwell fire. Beside
the bookshelves and the somewhat
simple fmiture of the library, there
were nmber of oddly contrived lit
tie closet in which were stored his
multitudhous manuscripts. There is
u writintable now in The possession
of the falily, which was frequently
used by 1r. jefferson, and which is
very insniously contrived. Two of
its four igs are hollow, and in these
run ros resting upon springs by
which tb table can be easily elevated,
the oter two legs being also
extensile, but in different way.
When f. Jefferson was tired of writ
ing in sitting position he could stand
up andaise this table to the desired
height. When he wished to use it as
a readig stand the top could be in
clined any angle, and a strip of brass
was ud to keep books and papers
from sling off.
Openg from the library was large
room Ilosed with glass, which was
intendl for conservatory, but was
used Mr.. Jefferson as his work.
room. There he had workbench,
with asorts of carpenter tools, with
whlche constructed great many of
the sml conveniencies he invented.
1Cenry.